Hot forging machine



Jan. 7, 1964 R. H. CARLSON HOT FORGING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1959 INVEN TOR. RAYMOND H. CARLSON Buck/10m, Chen/ham, 91 B/are ATTORNEYS Jan. 7, 1964 R. -H. cARLsoN 'HOT FORGING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND H. CARL SON BY 7 Bus/mom, Chem/mm, 8 Q' ATTORNEYS Jan; 7, 1964 R. H. CARLSON 3, 7,

HOT FORGING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1959 3 Sheets-Shet 3 INVENTOR. RAYMOND H CARLSON BY Buck/20m, Chem/70m, 8 B/ora ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3d liQZlS Patented Jan, 7, Infi l Oflice 3,117,218 HGT FURGING MACHINE Raymond Carlson, 83d llamas Ave lioclrfiord, lil. Filed July 6, 1959, Set. No. 825,107 9 @laims. (Cl. 219-150) The present invention relates to head rs or like apparatus and more particularly to an arrangement of a heating furnace and header.

Working of certain metals and alloys, such as, for example, titanium, is complicated by the fact that the metals can be satisfactorily worked only within a very limited temperature range.

it is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a header having a heating furnace capable of heating workpieces accurately to desired temperature.

A further object is to provide a header and heating furnace therefor so arranged that workpieces can be trans ferred rapidly from the heating furnace to the dies of the header so as to minimize loss of heat from the workpieces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mounting arrangement of a furnace on a header to permit the furnace to be moved easily to an out-of-the-way position so as to facilitate adjustment of various parts of the header.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the invention comprises a heading machine including a die bed and a horizontally reciprocating gate having a heading punch cooperating with a die opening in the die bed. Mounted on the header is a generally vertically inclined heatin furnace comprising an elongate tube in which workpieces are aligned in end-to-end relation. furnace is mounted with its lower end immediately above the die bed and means are provided to release the workpieces onc-by-one from the lower end of the furnace and to transfer them to a position adjacent the die openings of the die bed. Means are provided for mounting the furnace above the die bed so that it can be moved laterally to an out-of-the-way position permitting easy access by tr e operator to the transfer mechanism and die bed and gate so as to facilitate adjustment of the latter items as is necessitated from time to time.

For a more detailed description of the invention, referonce is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

PEG. 1 is a top plan view of a header constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away to show certain details of the header;

HG. 2 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 2-2 of PEG. 1;

3 is a section along line 3'3 of FIG. 2;

1G. 4 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrows 4 l of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrows 5-5 of H6. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section along line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line S8 of FIG. 1.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is shown in the drawings a heading apparatus comprising a bed or frame i having a forward end upon which is carried a die bed 12 in which a suitable forming die may be mounted, such as the heading die 16. Suitably mounted for sliding movement toward and from the die bed 12'; is a gate 18 upon which may be suitably supported punches 2t), 21 to cooperate with the die 16. The gate 18 may be provided with conventional structure to cause shifting of the punches 2d, 21 into position opposite the die lid.

At the rear end of the gate 18 is a pivot 24 to which is connected a pitman 2d rotatably embracing the crank portion 28 of a shaft 3% extending transversely of the frame and which shaft can be driven by any suitable means (not shown). It will be apparent that when the shaft 3? is rotated, the gate 11.8 will be reciprocated toward and from the die bed 12 so as to advance the punches Zil, 21 toward the die to.

Mounted on the frame 16 is a furnace 34 for heating workpieces prior to subjecting them to the forming operations performed by the header. The furnace 3d comprises a generally vertically extending tube 36 of suitable heat resisting material, such as a ceramic, and in which workpieces, such those indicated at 3%, can be positioned in end-to-end relation as shown. Surrounding and supporting the tube is a protecting metal jacket i 'll lined with an annular layer of suitable insulating material 42. Extending lengt iwise of the tube 36 between such tube and insulating layer 42 are a plurality of electrical resistance type heating elements 44 adapted to be energized from some suitable source of electrical power through leads indicated at The jacket is provided at its lower end with a flange secured as by welding to a plate 47 extending transversely of the furnace and having a central opening through which the tube 36 extends. Provided immediately below the plate is a supplemental heating section 5d including an annular block of suitable heat resistantmaterial in which is disposed a supplemental heating element 54 which surrounds the tu-be ad. The block 52 is disposed between end plates 53, 55 which are secured to the jacket at by bolts 5",. The element is adapted to be energized from a suitable source of electrical energy through leads 55- conncctcd to the element 54 and extending outwardly hrough the block 52.

Any suitable means can be provided for feeding the workpieces 38 into the upper end of the tube 3%. in the drawings, such means are indicated generally by a hopper Means are provided on the furnace for controlling the temperature thereof including a plurality of thermocouples indicated at 64 and 66 and which are arranged to detect the temperature of the tube 36 in the position opposite the respective thermocouple and which are connected to control the heating elements 44- in conventional manner so that the tube will be maintained throughout its length within desired ranges of temperature. Similarly, suitable known thermocouple means (not shown) are provided in the supplemental heating section 5d to control the energization of the supplemental heating element in the desired manner.

Means are provided for feeding workpieces 38 one-byone from the furnace Referring particularly to FIG. 8, secured to the lower plate 55 is a guide plate .2 having an opening 74 therethrough offset with respect to the tube 36. Mounted for sliding movement upon the plate 72 is a slide block '76 formed with an aperture 78 adapted to receive a workpiece 33 from the tube 36. An adjustable stop S a is mounted in the plate '72 in line with the tube as and is adjusted to hold a workpiece in the aperture 73 so that the workpiece just clears the plate The block 76 is connected to the arms are 32 of a solenoid $4. The armature 82 is provided with a stop 86 on the end thereof opposite the block it? and a spring is arranged about the armature between the block 76 and the coil so that when the solenoid is de-energized, the block 7-6 will be moved to a position where the stop engages the solenoid coil and the aperture 78 is in alignment with the tube Upon the energization of the coil 34 the armature is adapted to be drawn inwardly of the coil so as to move the block 76 to bring the aperture '75 into alignment with the opening 7% thus permitting the workpiece 38 to fall from the furnace. The block 76 is cut away as indicated at 9h to provide clearance for the stop 85?. As will be apparent, as the block 76 is drawn across the lower end of the tube as the lower workpiece therein and those above will be supported on the block 76. When the aperture 78 is realigned with the tube as the lower workpiece 38 therein will drop into the aperture to be discharged through the opening 74 on the next operation of the solenoid. Suitable means such as a cam actuated switch (not shown) operated from the shaft 3% may be provided for energizing the coil 84 to effect actuation of the workpiece releasing mechanism in timed relation with respect to the movement of the gate 1.8. As will be ap parent, the workpiece feeding mechanism has been broken out of FIG. 1 to show other details of the apparatus.

As is conventional in heading apparatus, the opera-tors position or station indicated in dotted lines at 955 in FIG. 1, is on the left side of the header when facing the header from the front. Means are provided for supporting the furnace 34 so that it can be moved laterally from its operative position in the direction away from the operators position. Referring to FIG. 1, the furnace Ed is inclined rearwardly and upwardly from the die block 12 and is supported from a parallel frame member reeby means of hinges 1'32 which permit the furnace to be swung from its operative position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, to an inoperative position away from the operator, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1. Adjustable stops 104 may be provided on the hinges MP2 to adjust the position of the furnace in its relation to the die bed 12.

To receive the workpieces 33 as they are released from the furnace 34, there is provided a pocket block 1% mounted on sliding arms ill-ii for horizontal reciprocation between a position immediately beneath the furnace and a second position to one side thereof. As best seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the pocket block is provided with a groove 11?; into which a workpiece 33 may drop. A guard 114 may be provided adjacent the upper part of the pocket block to guide the workpieces into the groove 112.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 4, the arms lid extend outwardly of the operators side of the frame and are con nected by a block iii-d having a pin 11% en aged by the forked end 1259 of a bell crank 12.2 pivoted at 124 on the frame iii. The opposite end of the bell crank 12 2 is connected by an arm 125 to a clamp 12-6 fixed to a reciprocating shaft 128 which is reciprocated in timed relation to the shaft i? by any suitable means. As will be apparent, reciprocation of the shaft 12? will shift the pocket block 1%.

b Transfer mechanism is provided for transferring a workpiece 33 from the pocket block 31% to a position in alignment with the die opening With reference now to FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, rockabiy mounted in the frame 1% is a shaft 313% having a crank arm 32 secured thereto and which is connected to an actuating arm T134 reciprocally driven by suitable mechanism (not shown) in timed relation to the shaft 3h. The shaft i359 carries a transfer member 1356 havin a pair of opposed gripping fingers L38 adapted to grasp and hold a workpiece 3% in a notch 14d for red in the end of the transfer member.

into the die 16 a of a workpiece therefrom. Refer 'ing to FIG. 1, mounted on the frame for reciprocating n. vement is a tubular spraying head 15% to which lubricant is supplied through suitable valve means (not shown) from a reservoir (also not shown) by a tube 152. The spraying head 15% is provided with a nozzle 154 and is adapted to be reciprocated between a spraying position wherein the nozzle is opposite the die 16 and a retracted out-of-theway position as shown in FIG. 1 to permit the transfer member 36 to swing downwardly in front of the die and the punch in to make its stroke or strokes. The spraying head 15% is reciprocated in timed relation with the transfer member res and punch 29 by me ns including an actuating arm 156 reciprocally driven by suitable mechanism (not shown) from the shaft 3%. The arm 156 is connected through a suitable lost motion connection to one arm of an L-crank 158 mounted on a pivot the opposite arm of the crank 158 being connected by a further lost motion mechanism to the spraying head 15%.

In operation of the apparatus, the furnace is filled with workpieces through the hopper A stop in the form of a rod 143 slidably extending through the furnace wall into the tube 36 may be provided for holding the column of workpieces during preheating of the same. When the initial load has reached the desired temperature, the rod- 143 can be pulled outwardly permitting the column to fall upon the block 76. In continuous operation, the workpieces will be heated as they progress down the furnace. When the workpieces are in condition to be fed from the furnace, the header is put into cyclic operation. At the desired moment, the solenoid 84 will be actuated to release a workpiece 38 from the furnace so that it will slide into the pocket block 103. The transfer member 135 is then rocked forwardly to cause the fingers 138 to grasp the workpiece 38 and is thereafter rocked slightly back so as to clear the pocket block which is then shifted by the mechanism previously described to one side of the furnace. When the pocket block res has been retracted, the sha t is rotated to swing the transfer member 136 downwardly into the position indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2 and wherein the workpiece 38 is held in alignment with the die opening 16. The gate 18 is then brought forward to cause the punch 29 to engage the workpiece and drive it from the transfer member 136 into the die opening lid. The transfer member is then swung back to its rest position and the pocket block returned to its position beneath the furnace. The gate 15 is actuated meanwhile in desired manner to effect the heading or other working of the workpiece and is finally returned to a retracted position and the workpiece 38 extracted from the die opening 16 by any suitable means. The spraying head 15b is then advanced to position the nozzle 154 opposite the die 16 and lubricating and cooling fluid discharged into the die. The spraying head is then retracted and the cycle repeated to feed and head a further workpiece.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l claim:

1. in a header or like apparatus for forming workpieces, a frame, a die bed on said frame having a die opening for receiving the workpiece, a reciprocating gate mounted on said frame for horizontal movement toward and from said die bed, an elongate workpiece heating furnace having its lower end positioned immediately above said die bed extending angularly upwardly over said gate, transfer mechanism for transferring a workpiece from said furnace to said die opening, an operator station at one side of said die bed, and means on said frame movably supporting said furnace for movement laterally toward the side of said die bed opposite said one side to give free access for adjustment of said transfer mechanism, die bed and gate.

2. In a header or like apparatus for forming workpieces, a frame, a die bed at the forward end of said frame having a die opening for receiving a workpiece, a gate having a heading punch mounted on said frame for horizontal reciprocating movement toward and from said die bed, an elongate workpiece heating furnace having its lower end positioned immediately above said die bed, transfer mechanism for transferring a workpiece from said furnace to said die opening, and means swingably supporting said furnace on said frame for swinging movement about an axis positioned to one side of said die bed so that said furnace can be swung to said one side to give free access to said transfer mechanism, die bed and heading punch.

3. In a header or like apparatus for forming workpieces, a frame, a die bed on said frame having a die opening for receiving the workpiece, a reciprocating gate mounted on said frame for horizontal movement toward and from said die bed, an elongate workpiece heating furnace having its lower end positioned immediately above said die bed extending angularly upwardly over said gate, transfer mechanism for transferring a workpiece from said furnace to said die opening, an operator station at one side of said die bed, and means on said frame swingably supporting said furnace for swinging movement about an axis on said opposite side of said die bed so that said furnace can be swung to said opposite side of said die bed away from said operator station to give free access for adjustment of said transfer mechanism, die bed and gate.

4. In a header or like apparatus having a die bed, a furnace comprising an elongated, generally vertically extending tube above said die bed for heating and retaining a supply of workpieces of predetermined length in endto-end relation, means for supplying workpieces from said furnace to said die bed including a pocket block for receiving workpieces from said furnace, means for releasing workpieces one-by-one from said furnace to said pocket block comprising a slide block having an aperture therethrough for receiving a workpiece from said furnace tube, means including a guide plate supporting said slide block for horizontal reciprocation beneath said furnace, said guide plate having an opening therethrough in offset relation with respect to said furnace tube, means for reciprocating said slide block between a workpiece receiving position with said aperture in alignment with said furnace tube and a workpiece discharging position with said aperture in alignment with said opening, said pocket block having a workpiece receiving position beneath said opening.

5. In a header having a frame, a die bed, and cooperating punch for forming a workpiece, a heating furnace for heating workpieces, said furnace comprising an elongated, generally vertically extending tube for retaining a supply of workpieces in end-to-end relation, means mounting said furnace with the lower end thereof positioned immediately above said die bed, a plurality of electrical resistance type heating elements disposed about said tube and extending lengthwise thereof for heating workpieces within said tube, supplemental heating means at the lower end of said furnace for heating said workpieces to a predetermined temperature, a pocket block below said furnace for receiving workpieces from said furnace, and means operable to release workpieces oneby-one from said tube to said pocket block.

6. in a header, a frame, a die bed provided with a die opening for receiving a workpiece, a heating furnace mounted on said frame above said die bed and having a discharge end positioned vertically of said die opening, said furnace having means for retaining a supply of workpieces therein, a pocket block mounted on said frame immediately below said furnace and above said die bed for receiving a workpiece from said furnace, transfer mechanism mounted on said frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis to transfer a workpiece from said pocket block to a position opposite said die opening, means to actuate said transfer mechanism to swing from a rest position, relatively above said pocket block, downwardly to grasp a workpiece supported in said block, thence upwardly to clear said pocket block, thence downwardly to position the workpiece opposite said opening, and finally back to rest position, means mounting said pocket block for sliding movement from a position beneath said furnace to one side thereof to provide ciearance for said movement of said transfer mechanism to position the workpiece opposite said opening, and means for effecting such sliding movement in timed relation with said transfer mechanism.

7. in a header or like apparatus, a frame, a die bed having a die opening for receiving a workpiece, a workpiece heating furnace mounted on said frame above said die bed, a pocket block mounted on said frame immediately below said furnace for receiving a workpiece from said furnace, means mounting said pocket block for sliding movement from a workpiece receiving position beneath said furnace to one side thereof, a transfer arm swingably mounted on said frame for movement in a path through said workpiece receiving position of said slide block for transferring a workpiece from said pocket block to a position opposite said die opening, means for actuating said transfer arm and means for effecting such sliding movement in timed relation with said transfer mechanism so that said slide block may be moved to a position out of the path of movement of said transfer arm.

8. In a header, a frame, a die bed having a vertical face provided with a die opening for receiving a workpiece, a heating furnace mounted on said frame above said die bed, said furnace having means for staining a suppiy of workpieces therein, a pocket block mounted on said frame immediately below said furnace and above said die bed for receiving a workpiece from said furnace, means for feeding workpieces one-by-one from said furnace to said pocket block, means mounting said pocket block for sliding movement from a workpiece receiving position beneath said furnace and vertically of said die opening to one side thereof, transfer mechanism mounted on said frame to transfer a workpiece from said pocket block to a position opposite said die opening, means mounting said transfer mechanism for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and in a path intersecting said pocket block workpiece receiving position to effect such transfer, means for actuating said transfer mechanism in timed relation to said workpiece feed means, and means for effecting movement of said pocket block in timed relation with said transfer mechanism to move said pocr'et block to said one side so as to provide clearance for said transfer movement of said transfer mechanism.

9. In a header or like apparatus having a die bed,

a furnace comprising an elongated, generaily vertically extending tube above said die bed for heating and retaining a supply of workpieces of predetermined length in end-to-end relation,

means for supplying workpieces from said furnace to said die bed including a pocket block for receiving workpieces from said furnace,

means for releasing workpiece one-by-one from said furnace to said pocket block comprising a slide block having an aperture therethrongh for receiving a workpiece from said furnace tube,

means including a guide piate supporting said slide block for horizontal reciprocation beneath said furnace,

said guide plate having an opening therethrough in offset relation with respect to said furnace tuoe,

means for reciprocating said slide block between a workpiece receiving position with said aperture in alignment with said furnace tube and a workpiece discharging position with said aperture in alignment with said opening,

said pocket block having a workpiece receiving position beneath said opening,

and adjustable stop means on said guide plate for holding a workpiece in said aperture so that said workpiece just clears the end of said furnace tube thereby supporting the workpieces thereabove wholly within said tube.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A HEADER OR LIKE APPARATUS FOR FORMING WORKPIECES, A FRAME, A DIE BED ON SAID FRAME HAVING A DIE OPENING FOR RECEIVING THE WORKPIECE, A RECIPROCATING GATE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT TOWARD AND FROM SAID DIE BED, AN ELONGATE WORKPIECE HEATING FURNACE HAVING ITS LOWER END POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID DIE BED EXTENDING ANGULARLY UPWARDLY OVER SAID GATE, TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING A WORKPIECE FROM SAID FURNACE TO SAID DIE OPENING, AN OPERATOR STATION AT ONE SIDE OF SAID DIE BED, AND MEANS ON SAID FRAME MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID FURNACE FOR MOVEMENT LATERALLY TOWARD THE SIDE OF SAID DIE BED OPPOSITE SAID ONE SIDE TO GIVE FREE 